Something You Can't Give Back
by SugarLandBabyGirl
Summary: "... Can't you just give it back!" Izumo half questioned, half stated with no small amount of panic lacing his tone. The lit cigarette he'd had between his lips just moments before had fallen and was now slowly burning near his feet, completely forgotten.
1. Chapter 1

****Disclaimer: Characters and other recognizable things in this story belong to their respective copyright holders. The only things that I own are the original characters and plot of this story. I am making no money from writing this fan work. No copyright infringement is intended**.**

**A/N:** This is... I've honestly no idea what it is, or isn't or what it's supposed to be. I thought it up at 5 o'clock in the morning while being sick, so it's probably crap all the way through, like the title and summary for instance. So, I apologize in advance. For now it's a one-shot but later on I might, and that's a very big _might_, continue it in some form or another.

Thanks so much for reading,

- SLBG

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><p><strong><span>Something You Can't Give Back<span>**

"... Can't you just give it back?!" Izumo half questioned, half stated with no small amount of panic lacing his tone. The lit cigarette he'd had between his lips just moments before had fallen and was now slowly burning near his feet, completely forgotten.

The stressed bartender could only thank every deity that he knew that Anna was asleep upstairs and that Fujishima had already gone home for the night. One bleeding heart was more than enough. Not even the gods would be able help him if either of them were here or knew about this.

"We should keep him." Tatara piped up with a bright smile and sparkling eyes. His mind was clearly already made up on the matter as he leaned over the King's shoulder to get a better look at the innocent thing in question; the cause of all the commotion.

"Absolutely not," Izumo immediately shot back while trying to light up another cigarette in his irritation. Gods did he ever need a cigarette, or a pack. No, he'd probably need two before the night was over and a stiff drink as well. He felt the beginnings of a panic attack start to well up in his gut when Mikoto didn't respond in agreement right away, or at all.

In fact, the redhead hadn't emitted so much as a grunt since the beginning of this whole debacle. His attention had been snared completely by the tiny bundle squirming restlessly in his arms. His amber eyes were so intense that Izumo figured they could burn a hole through diamond. Clearly he was thinking deeply about the issue at hand, but his features gave absolutely nothing away.

Just what did the Red King think about all this? The blond haired male had to wonder. The bundle had been specifically left for him, after all. It was his responsibility, and in the end his decision alone to make one way or the other.

"What do you think, King?" Tatara asked softly after a few minutes of heavy silence.

A slow blink, followed by a long sigh was enough of an answer to make Izumo want to bash his head against the polished bar. Not that he would. The bar had cost him a small fortune, but still the urge was there. In order to resist the temptation of self-harm to vent frustration and helplessness, he moved away from the bar and over to his friends seated on the couch.

Tatara smiled widely in excitement as he gently scooped up the bundle from Mikoto's arms and cuddled it lovingly to his chest. By the time Izumo collapsed gracelessly into the couch next to him, Tatara was already cooing sweet nothings to the recently abandoned infant.

The child's parentage wasn't in question. All three men knew without a single shred of doubt that the baby currently gurgling and wiggling happily in Tatara's arms was in fact, Mikoto's. He, because Tatara had already checked just to be certain, had inherited the King's more unique features. Taiki, as the note had stated, had a crown of soft but messy red baby fuzz and all too familiar intense amber eyes, although his skin seemed to naturally be a few shades darker than his fathers.

"Even if we keep him, we still need to find the mother. This is no small matter, Mikoto." Izumo murmured lowly and in all seriousness as he caught the King's lazy gaze as it drew away from the happily drooling infant.

There was a grunt followed by a deep, heavy sigh and a low baritone reply. "I know."

Izumo let his gaze drop to the happily unaware infant. He felt sorry for the kid. He couldn't have been more than a couple months old, if even that. So young and already he had been callously abandoned by his mother, only to be dropped straight into the hands of a group of men and one female child Strain vastly unsuited to care for an infant. Half of them could barely take care of themselves on a day-to-day basis. So that begged the question of just how in the hell were they expected to raise an infant.

This... was going to be an interesting adventure however long it may be and troublesome, very troublesome.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N:_** Here's Part II. It's not quite what you all were asking for, but I'm hoping that the rest of HOMRA will meet little Taiki in Part III, I just thought that I'd give the top three members some more hell with the little lion cub before the rest of the gang shows up. :) I sincerely hope that you readers enjoy this next installment, even though I'm really nervous 'cause I'm not sure it's up to the same 'standards' as the first part. XD

Take care, and thanks for reading!

- SLBG

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><p><em><strong>Part II<strong>_

It was nearing 6 o 'clock in the morning and Izumo was so past his limits that not even cigarettes and alcohol could soothe him anymore. He was beyond the stage of wanting to rip all of his hair out by the roots in frustration and just wanted to sleep, _deeply_, in a quiet place. He really just wanted to be someplace far, far away from a surprisingly subdued and bleary-eyed Tatara and a somewhat cantankerous and sleep deprived Mikoto.

Izumo had known from the start that keeping the infant around was going to be nothing short of troublesome. But he'd never imagined that the trouble would start so soon. The infant that had been dumped on HOMRA's doorstep had been rather happy and easygoing, at least until he got hungry and in turn very angry and very vocal when the three confused males didn't immediately tend to his needs.

Everything went downhill faster than an Alpine skier with rockets strapped to their skis after that. The three bachelors quickly discovered that the inconsiderate, MIA mother didn't leave them _any_ necessary baby supplies. They were left only with an unsigned note taped to the car seat the infant arrived in, a simple blanket and a soft toy in the form of an orange lion. There were no diapers, wipes, bottles or any baby formula.

Most importantly, there was no _guidebook_ for dummies such as them.

They quickly found out that little Taiki had inherited his father's bad temper, and not even Tatara could soothe the wrath of the hungry little lion cub. All three of them tried, in various highly unconventional ways, to get the infant to calm down, but their efforts were all in vain. Miraculously enough, Anna slept peacefully through the whole night long ordeal; but she was the only one so lucky.

Taiki cried, _loudly_, for almost thirty whole minutes before it finally dawned on Izumo that the _four_ of them needed to get out of the bar and find a store with baby supplies, and some books. Because if they were going to keep Taiki even remotely happy and healthy then they really needed some sort of a guide.

Their impromptu trip into town was... _interesting_ to say the least.

The three adult males certainly garnered some baffled and even some nasty looks from all bystanders. Izumo was sure that a couple of the people they passed wanted to call the authorities on them on suspicion of kidnapping, but Mikoto's chilling glare made them turn away and quickly scurry off. The rest of their cringe worthy adventure more-or-less went the same.

It wasn't until their fourth stop, the first three choices having been unsuccessful, that they managed to get lucky. The store, unbeknownst to them at the time, had everything that they needed. However, none of them knew exactly what they needed or how much, and all of the store clerks mysteriously disappeared when Izumo looked for them.

Thankfully, Tatara's cutely confused expression coupled with the crying, squirming infant in his arms finally managed to lure in one sympathetic, not to mention courageous, female helper. She was a near literal godsend for the three males who were so out of their depth that it bordered on pathetic. The kind woman had enough experience with children, three of her own – all boys, to set them up with the important supplies for the next two months, plenty of helpful books included.

Izumo was so relieved that he nearly kissed her right then and there out of gratitude. He refrained, barely. But he had to admit that her husband was a damn lucky man to have such a kind and beautiful woman like her as his wife. She really was a beauty, voluptuous too.

The three adults sluggishly made their way back to the bar, all of them ready to sleep but knowing that their long night was far from over. Mikoto took his turn holding Taiki because Tatara was carrying the majority of the bags and Izumo was studiously flipping through the books they'd just bought. Izumo had a feeling that he was going to have to take on the responsible 'mothering' role where Taiki was concerned. Tatara was more like a playmate for the infant, and Mikoto was, well... _Mikoto_. That was more than enough of an explanation on that matter.

"You're holding him wrong, Mikoto. Prop his head up more with your elbow so he doesn't choke." Izumo received a blank yet piercing amber stare for his 'words of wisdom', but Mikoto did as suggested and finally, _finally_ Taiki's cries quieted. The little lion cub now cooed happily around the nipple of the bottle, all traces of his previous anger and tears gone.

Izumo gave a deep, relieved sigh and slumped in his seat already half-asleep. Tatara just smiled tiredly relaxing into the couch next to the infant and his father, quite pleased that things had ended so well and because of the wholly parental way that King was currently looking at and treating his little cub, even though they'd just met. The first night had been rough to be sure, but Tatara knew that things could only get better from here on out.


End file.
